Colors of the Sky
by Shiisaa
Summary: Slight AU, NanoFate. Their mission went horrifically wrong, and now she's all alone. "She made a decision." Your kindness will be your death. She knew it was selfish, but...'you can live without me. I can't live without you.' Forgive me, Nanoha.
1. Prologue

Standard disclaimer applies. I have no beta, so read at your own risk. Please don't sue me if your eyes start bleeding from my terrible writing skills ;)

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**Colors of the Sky**

"All things pass in the world, but never  
Sorrow." --Algernon Charles Swinburne

Prologue

_Woke from Dreaming_

She was dreaming, and what a sweet, deliciously perfect dream it was. She dreamt of that which she lost. The person who meant more to her than her own self. She would happily give up her life if it would mean that the other's could be saved. Her dream was of cherished memories from their shared past, and yet…

"_Nanoha?"_

…somehow, the more she tried to stay within those happy times, the more they seemed to slip away.

"_Nanoha, look at this!"_

Like water, no matter how hard she tried to cusp the memories in her hands, they slipped away, in slow, agonizing streams.

"_Hey, Nanoha…"_

It was painful, at first.

"…_have you ever thought about love?"_

Almost amusing, really. They both didn't know how to express their feelings. Each afraid of creating an irreparable gap between them, they stumbled over each other, struggling, until one day it happened unexpectedly.

"_I guess…I mean, I love my parents, and I love my brother, and my sister…Why do you ask, Fate-chan?"_

"_Not that 'love', Nanoha…the kind of love…two people share. The love that is theirs alone."_

"_Fate-chan?"_

"_The kind of love that…you and Yuuno share?"_

"_What?"_

Every time she would remember, she would laugh. They would laugh together at their childish mistakes. The embarrassment they had felt.

"_With Yuuno?"_

"_Nanoha, don't pretend to not understand!"_

"_Fate-chan?"_

"_You're always like this. So…innocent and…it's cruel…"_

"_Fate-chan? Fate-chan! What's wrong? Stop crying…"_

"_How can I, Nanoha? How can I when a part of me dies every time you smile for him? Don't you understand?"_

Of course, it had started with tears. Fate hadn't understood how to convey her feelings at the time, and Nanoha had been so, so afraid to frighten her with an emotion that she had never really experienced.

"_I'm…in love with you, Nanoha."_

"—"

She had always thought she would be the one to take the predominant role, but how wrong she was. The blonde parted their lips softly, her cheeks stained with tears. It was only afterward that Nanoha realized that it had probably been Fate's first kiss…and hers as well.

"…_I'm sorry. I'll leave tomorrow, so please just…forget about me."_

"_What are you talking about, Fate-chan? I don't— "_

"_I won't bother you again."_

"_Fate! Wait!"_

"_Nano—"_

"_You idiot, you stupid, stupid idiot!"_

That was the first time they had held each other that intimately. Everything seemed right, somehow. They didn't notice the passage into night or the tearstains on their clothes. And when they did, they didn't care.

"_I love you, too. For the longest time, I have."_

"_Nanoha."_

Their lips had touched again, and their hearts became whole. From that day forward, those around them noticed slight changes. They started shyly, merely holding hands or sitting closer to each other than usual. Eventually their courage grew, and they openly displayed their affection. By the time they were sixteen, they had announced to their friends and family what everyone had known all along. Three years had passed, and each day their love grew. When they joined Division Six, they were overjoyed. No more separation. It had been wonderful.

"Nanoha."

She didn't want to wake up.

"Nanoha, come on."

Because waking up would mean that she would remember.

"I'm going to leave you if you don't wake up, Nanoha." A teasing, loving voice whispered to her.

_I hear you…wait a minute…_

"Na-no-ha…"

_Wait for me, I'm coming! I'll be up in just a moment—_

"Goodbye, Nanoha…"

_No, don't leave! You can't—_

"I'm sorry…"

_FATE!!!_

_

* * *

_**Right then.** Personally, I don't like long author notes, so I'll keep this short. This fic has been bouncing around inside my head and driving me crazy, so I had to buckle down and get it out. Thanks to Satashi for giving me permission to, uh.."borrow" a certain plot origin. This was originally part of a veeery long Chapter 1, but I decided to split it. Thanks for reading, and I hope you'll stick around until the end.

Read and Review, please!


	2. Chapter 1: Illusion

...damn. And here I was hoping to upload nice, small chapters. *sigh* Well, this one stole my ideas and wouldn't give them back until I finished. This is about 2x what I was planning on writing...Well, enjoy!

Disclaimer: Don't own, never will.

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"…was just an overreaction. The blood tests showed that her medicine is flowing through her system as it's supposed to, so it was likely an accident, just like she said. She's been cleared for release, so as soon as you sign out at the front everything will be fine." The doctor concluded his report with a weary smile, bowing slightly and turning to leave. He tried to not listen as he heard the mother start sobbing. It was work policy to offer condolences, but to keep a respectful distance regarding the emotional reactions of family members. Turning a corner, he passed off the clipboard with the patient's file off to a nurse, and retreated quickly to his office. He sank heavily into his chair, rubbing his temples and switching his computer's monitor on. Staring blankly at the screen for a few moments, he cursed softly, reviewing the patient's profile. The picture, nearly a year old, showed a smiling girl with her eyes full of life.

_Patient File #0747558_

_Name, Last, First:_

_Takamachi, Nanoha_

Scrolling down, the doctor's eyes briefly took in information that he had long since memorized by heart.

_First Admittance to Residential Treatment:_

_September 23__rd__, 20XX_

_Diagnosed Symptoms:_

_Severe depression, periodic hallucination, reluctance to interact with the present_

_Update as of October 18__th__: Patient has been placed on emergency 24-hour suicide watch. Reason: severe risk of further self-injury; patient is currently undergoing radical medication modifications. Visits are limited to mother or father. Thorough psychological testing is advised._

_Note: November 4__th__. Patient has been reported to respond abnormally for periods of time measuring from 5 minutes to 16 hours. Observations from work colleagues/friends state that the patient will be under what appears to be a self-induced hallucination, specifically imagining the existence of the patient's former lover, F.T. Harlaown. Patient will not respond to reasoning and will go through daily activities, convinced that said person will "come home soon." Patient's actions suggest a case of PTSD and delusions. Patient is suspect to anorexia, see attached testimonial for details._

He hovered over the attached file link, grimly recalling an unpleasant scene.

_November 5__th__, 2:00PM Earth Standard Time_

"So, Vita-san, if you would please face the camera and speak in a clear voice, we can get started," the nurse said, smiling reassuringly at the small girl. The girl's chaperone, a matronly blonde woman, stood restlessly by the door. Vita bit her lip and faced the camera.

"She…Nanoha," she began, rubbing at her eyes. "I…yesterday, I went to Nanoha's room to check on her, and—"

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Vita-san, but could you state the time, please?"

Vita sniffled and nodded. "It was around eleven o'clock, at night. She was…sitting on the couch, reading a cookbook. I asked her what she was doing, and she said

_"Vita-chan! What brings you here this late?" _

_"Nanoha…what are you doing?"_

_The combat instructor chuckled. "Silly, I'm looking up new recipes to make. I don't think Fate-chan really liked the stew I made yesterday, so I thought I'd surprise her with something new." _

_Vita bit her lip. "Nanoha, Fate is…" She trailed off, spotting the dinner table, set for two. The food had long since gone cold, and was starting to smell. "What the hell?" Quickly making her way to the kitchen, Vita saw neatly stacked piles of used dishes in the sink, and a rotting smell coming from the garbage bin. _

_"Oh, I've been meaning to clean up. Fate-chan gets upset when the dishes pile up like that. Sorry for the mess, I'll clean everything tomorrow." Nanoha grinned sheepishly. The Hammer Knight's blood turned cold. _

_"Nanoha, why haven't you eaten dinner yet?" Her voice trembled._

_"Well, Fate-chan hasn't come home yet, and I promised her that we'd eat dinner together." The reply was so nonchalant, so full of utter __**conviction**_

"I checked the garbage, and it was full of food scraps. I asked her, 'What's the meaning of this?' and she said, 'Vita-chan, have you been listening to me?' and then she _laughed_, and then…" Vita choked back a sob, wiping furiously at her eyes in a vain attempt to stop the tears from flowing. "…and then, she told me, 'Fate-chan didn't really like the stew, so I threw it out. No sense in keeping it if we can't eat it together!' But when I looked closer, there was way too much food in there for one person's leftovers. I asked her why there was so much, and

_"Nyahaha, I guess that lately my cooking hasn't been very good. I feel kind of bad about it, but I end up having to throw it all out, you know? Sometimes she doesn't come home until really late, so I go to bed first and leave everything out for her, but…" A flash of pain in once lively slate-blue eyes. "She leaves for work before I get up. Maybe I should ask Caro if I can give the leftovers to her dragons?"_

"I didn't know what to do! I…got really scared and went to Hayate, and that's when we—everyone, I mean—decided that Nanoha should get help. I just wish…please, you've got to help her! Make her realize the truth! I don't…I don't want to s-see her like that…"

Shamal left her post by the door and embraced the girl, her own eyes glistening with unshed tears. The nurse shut off the camera.

_Latest Entry: February 14__nd__, 20XX_

_Case update and progress report_

_Patient has had a brief relapse – family brought her in after finding her surrounded by broken glass and with several cut wounds on the hands and fingers. Upon hospital staff questioning, patient admitted to dropping and breaking a glass container while attempting to make chocolate. Patient said something along the lines of forgetting about Valentine's Day and having to rush to make chocolate for "Fate-chan." This poor, poor girl…all I can do is advise her friends and family to remain supportive and loving. Perhaps a new medication is required…_

**Colors of the Sky**

Chapter One

_Reality/Grief_

"Walking through a winter night,  
Counting the stars  
And passing time  
Snow dances with the wind  
I wish, I could be with you again"

--Scorpions

Takamachi Nanoha lay in the hospital bed, staring at the white plaster ceiling. Bored, she started counting the water stains for the umpteenth time while absently picking at the bandages around her left hand. She was still a little woozy from the anesthetics and didn't notice when the door opened softly.

"Nanoha, we've come to pick you up," Shiro said. His daughter turned her head and smiled, though her eyes were slightly unfocused.

"Hi, dad." Her mother, Momoko, moved from Shiro's side and helped the girl sit up. "I can go home now?"

"Anytime, sweetheart," he replied, flashing a reassuring smile. Slowly, with her mother's help, Nanoha stood and put her shoes on. Soon the three were walking through the sterile hospital corridors, passing the occasional nurse or visitor. Momoko struck up a mostly one-sided conversation with Nanoha, falling silent as they reached the main entrance. Shiro went ahead to start the car while the women followed at a more leisurely pace. Nanoha barely noticed anything the entire ride home, and immediately retreated to her room upon arriving. The rest of the afternoon passed uneventfully; Kyoya was busy managing the Midoriya Café, Miyuki had left after a brief lunch with Nanoha to return to school, and their parents went about daily business.

By the time it was dinner, Nanoha had succeeded in exactly one useful thing: she had sent a video-mail to Hayate to ease the small ruckus she was sure her hospital visit had sparked over on Midchilda. As much as she had tried, she had been far too distracted to do anything other than sleep, stare into space, and watch old drama reruns. She once again retired to her room shortly after eating dinner with the family and proceeded to take a shower, carefully avoiding getting her bandages wet.

The combat instructor fell onto her bed with a sigh, flipping onto her back and closing her eyes. If she closed her eyes, she could hear _her_ voice, see _her_ beautiful face, feel _her_ loving embrace. Twin trails of tears were soon traced along her face, followed by the familiar burning in her throat. Nanoha stifled her cries in her pillow, curling up into a fetal position after the grief had passed.

"Fate-chan…" her voice, still heavy and wavering, sounded like a stranger's. "I thought we promised. You said you would always come back…to me." She fell silent, clutching the sheets for comfort. "So why…why did you break that promise…?"

_"You go back first. I'll be right behind you, so don't worry."_

"…Liar."

_"I love you, Nanoha. Always and forever."_

"Fate…-chan…"

* * *

Unspecified planet 104

Night, 0200 hours

Underground complex

_Hear my voice, child. _Burgundy eyes opened hesitantly, dull and void of life. An arm reached upward, pressing against the glass container's thick walls.

_I'm afraid you're not quite ready to go out into the world yet. _Slowly, the girl floating in the tank focused on her surroundings. Her view of the world beyond the glass was tinted and warped by the thick, greenish substance that kept her suspended in space. Faintly, in some deep corner of her half-awake mind, she expressed surprise. Though she had no breathing apparatus, the substance, certainly thicker than water, was easily drawn in through her nose, filling her lungs with oxygen.

_Rest for now. I'll call you again later. _

Name…

_Oh, I forgot. Do you know who I am?_

Name…who…?

_I suppose it can't be helped. Listen, how about I come and visit you in person? We can have the formal introductions then._

Who…who…

_Ah, ah, ah. Let's not get ahead of ourselves, shall we? It might upset your memories, after all. Go to sleep now, child, and we'll talk more in the morning._

_

* * *

  
_

Nanoha awoke to the sunlight streaming in through her bedroom window. Someone had come to her in the night and tucked her in. A bitter smile found its way to her lips. Standing, she padded down the hall to the bathroom, splashing water onto her face and brushing her teeth.

"…"

As she closed the door behind her, Nanoha stopped dead in her tracks. _That voice…it can't be?_

"…would like to borrow her…"

Nanoha burst into the living room, nearly tripping over her own feet in her haste.

"Good morning, Nanoha. Did you sleep well?" Momoko smiled. Her daughter was frozen in shock, disbelief mixed with hope and despair at the same time all over her face.

"Nanoha-chan, it's been a while."

Nanoha exhaled heavily, and when she spoke, it was in a voice so small that she herself didn't fully realize she'd spoken. "…Hayate?"

To be continued.

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**Closing Notes:**

And there's chapter one! I hope I didn't ramble as much as I think I did...also, sorry for the slow pacing halfway through and the crappy filler scenes (can't write time passing to save my life, lol). I even included *gasp* foreshadowing. A big THANK YOU to the four of you who reviewed:

:n_n I'm glad you liked it. I'm flattered, really...Well, you'll have to wait to find out "what happened" ;). Bulls-eye with recognizing the voice. Maybe I should try to disguise it more? And cliffhangers are the lifeline of all fanfic writers, are they not? :3

**BPHaru**: OMG! It's you! Ahhh! *runs around in circles* I'm a fan, hehe....It's a small relief to know that it wasn't as bad as I thought it was! Don't know where I'm going with the plot? What plot? Neither do I! *jk jk* I'll accept that challenge, but...don't expect anything in the near future XD

**hazumu-kun:** Hahaha, hope this is long enough for you! (Or at least, closer to the length you want ^^)

**Black-Rose-Of-Night:** Ahh, I wish I could pump out chapters like some of the fanfic greats out there...I'll do my best!!

Now then, I thought I'd let y'all know that I ENABLED ANONYMOUS REVIEWS *coughcough winkwink nudgenudge* so even if you don't have a ff account, you're ABLE TO REVIEW. Ahem. Expect updates to be once or twice weekly. If I'm lucky and get lotsa inspiration over the weekend, then maybe 3...

Read and Review, please!!


	3. Chapter 2: Discover

**A/N:** I'm. Not. Dead. Yet. (just recovering from end-of-quarter finals) Enjoy.

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The room was filled with tension. The forwards of Division Six sat around a table with varying levels of composure, each trying their best to remain calm under the pressure generated by the two present adults. Chrono Harlaown paced in front of a wall-mounted display, his boots echoing uncomfortably in the cold metal room. Griffith Lowran stood stiffly behind the forwards, his face a stone mask. Subaru winced inwardly.

_Tia, what's going on? I can't take this atmosphere, _she whined over the forwards' telepathic communication link.

_How am I supposed to know? The second-in-command and a TSAB Admiral are here! We were just told to come here and wait, so sit still and do so!_ Annoyed, Tia shifted her position and glared at the floor. Caro and Erio sat ramrod straight, the former on the brink of bursting out in tears while the latter was starting to sweat from the tension.

There was a collective sigh of relief as the door hissed open, alleviating some of the pressure. Signum walked in first, followed closely by Shamal and Vita. The three Belkan knights sat across from the forwards. Subaru opened her mouth to question them, but quickly closed it when Vita glared a warning at her. Chrono's pacing halted. The door opened again.

"Ah…" Subaru froze, mimicking the ill-concealed shock on the faces of everyone else in the room. Hayate and Nanoha entered, pausing as the door slid shut behind them. Hayate ushered Nanoha over to the far end of the table, making sure she was sitting before walking around to stand by Chrono's side. The admiral adopted an unreadable expression.

"Now that we're all here, I'll have to remind you that what you will now observe is confidential," Hayate said, adopting a commanding air. "Chrono, if you would?"

His eyes hardened. "I'll be honest. If the circumstances were different, most of you wouldn't be here." His gaze swept across the forwards and lingered on Nanoha. "However, several other officials and I have decided that it would be more beneficial if you were." The lights dimmed as the display flickered to life. Several images appeared, depicting a huge pile of rubble and a ruined landscape. Nanoha trembled slightly, gripping her hands tightly together.

"As you know, six months ago, the two captains of Division Six participated in a mission regarding a small uprising on a mostly uninhabited world under TSAB jurisdiction. The primary objective was to defeat and capture the rebel leader, secured within a stronghold protected by various AMF fields and rogue mages.

"We all know the outcome, so I'll skip to the end. Enforcer Harlaown and Tactical Instructor Takamachi infiltrated the stronghold and directly engaged the leader in combat. The battle triggered a minor dimensional abnormality, resulting in the stronghold's destruction. Instructor Takamachi was able to successfully teleport out in time, but Enforcer Harlaown was not as…fortunate." Chrono cleared his throat. "The reason why you're gathered here today is because of a discovery of great importance. I personally requested the investigative abilities of Verossa Acous, whom most of you are familiar with. Three days ago, he submitted the following message to me." An audio-only telecommunications link flickered to life.

_Chrono, I'm sorry that this has taken a while to complete. The last of the large-scale debris was cleared two weeks ago, and we've been searching through the remains nearly every waking second since then. I know that you received my initial conclusion four months ago about your sister. A few days ago, we came across something interesting, but I didn't want to report back to you and give you false hope._

_We uncovered the stronghold's command center. The bodies of the rebel leader and several fugitive mages were recovered, and I went over the identification results myself, four times, to make sure. I'm not sending this to anyone else, but word will get around. You're going to want to get a head start before the brass labels this as a desertion or something. The body of Enforcer Fate T. Harlaown was not among the remains. Either someone took the body during the confusion of the collapse's aftermath, or…_

"Fate-chan…is alive?"

**Colors of the Sky**

Chapter Two

_Unknown/Hope_

｢どんなに遠く離れていても　この歌声が君に届くように

涙がずっと　止まらない夜　君の窓を照らす月になりたい

また必ず　会えると　そう思うから・・・・・｣

--下川 みくに

Nanoha awoke to familiar surroundings. The cool metal walls of Shamal's office surrounded her, but didn't feel as if they were closing in. She tried to sit up, only to find that she was held in place by several thick leather belts that encircled the bed. Struggling lethargically, Nanoha glared when the matronly doctor walked in, accompanied by Hayate and Chrono.

"Hayate! Let me out of this thing," Nanoha said, not amused. "This isn't a funny joke."

The brunette frowned. "I can't do that, Nanoha-chan. If it weren't for Vita-chan, you would've destroyed my favorite conference room by now."

"What?"

"You already broke the table, Nanoha." Chrono sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, but your magic is sealed off for now. We gave you some sedatives to calm you down—"

"You _drugged_ me? Why? I didn't do anything!"

"You really don't remember?" Shamal stared pointedly.

"Remember—oh." It came back in a flash.

* * *

**Three hours earlier**

"Yesterday evening, we got this." Hayate gestured for the display to play the video.

_"Well hello there, little mages! I've been waiting and waiting for you to figure out that your little Enforcer girl is missing. Or did you really think that the TSAB's Ace Enforcer would go down so easily?" _A man in a gaudy red suit and top hat laughed mockingly. _"My name is Cornelius Alba. You'll want to remember it, because we're going to have many more chats from now on."_ The camera zoomed in on his face. He flashed a bright smile. The camera rocked a little, showing glimpses of an extravagant Victorian-styled room.

_"I expect that you've figured out that little miss Testarossa wasn't among the dead underneath all that dreadful rubble, yes? Well, surprise! I'll let you in on a little secret. She isn't dead!"_ Alba did a little dance, bowing at the end. _"Actually, she's been here with yours truly all this time. Rather gloomy girl, if I do say so myself. Oh, do you want to see her? Right this waaaay!" _In a sing-song voice, he motioned for the camera to follow as he skipped across the room and down a short hallway. Kicking open a door, he grinned broadly as the camera followed him inside. _"Why good morning, little Fate! How are you feeling?"_

The room was starkly different in contrast to the previous room's elegant furnishings. Dimly illuminated by two flickering light bulbs, it gave off a feeling of fear and foreboding, even from the video screen. Alba clicked his tongue, walking to the middle of the room and nudging a pile of rags with one booted foot. _"Wake up, Fate! Your friends are watching!" _ Alba giggled. The camera swept around the room, revealing tables lining the grim stone walls. Dark stains were evident everywhere in sight. Atop the tables, various instruments of torture lay carelessly strewn about, most covered in a rust-colored substance.

Nanoha felt her heart stop. There was a loud clatter, and her shocked mind sluggishly realized that Griffith and Vita were holding Signum down. The pink-haired knight roared, fury gleaming in her icy blue eyes.

"That _bastard_! I'll rip him apart!"

"Signum, stop." Hayate's tone made it clear that there would be no disobeying her order.

"_Hayate_—"

"Watch until the end."

"…_don't want to wake up? We can't have that, oh no we can't. Not when everyone's waiting for you." _Alba gripped a fistful of grimy blonde hair, roughly forcing the woman's head up. Fate's eyes flickered open, glazed over. _"Good girl. Say hello to everyone!"  
_

"…"

"'_Hello, everyone! It's me, Fate Testarossa! It's been a while, hasn't it?'" _In a squeaky falsetto, the red-clothed mage mimicked a girl's voice. _"Good job!" _He released her. _"She's been a little under the weather lately, you see. Lost a little too much blood the other day, I'm afraid. Sometimes I just have so much fun and I get carried away." _Cackling, he stood and faced the camera. _"Is Nanoha Takamachi there? I've got a special surprise, saved just for you." _He hummed as his hand hovered over a platter of various bladed instruments. _"Have you ever heard this girl scream before? It's really the most marvelous sound. Ah." _Selecting one, he twirled it around in his hands before squatting down. _"I'm sure you're used to screams caused by something very different, but I think the ones—"_ Metal piercing flesh "_—that come from this—" _The wet splattering of blood hitting the floor _"—are so much better." _A pained hiss.

Alba frowned. _"Well, well. Trying to be strong for your little lovebird? We've gone over this before, little Fate." _He caressed her cheek with the blade, gripping her chin with his free hand. A swift cut, and a thin trickle of blood appeared. He ran his tongue across her face, lapping the thick, warm liquid up. Pale eyes leered at the camera with a perverse glint. _"We've had lots of fun before, haven't we? I thought you said that you like to scream when I cut you up more that when I fuck you."  
_

"…_going to fucking tear his heart out!—"  
_

Nanoha trembled uncontrollably. Her breath came in short gasps, and she couldn't seem to fill her lungs with enough oxygen. A thin red film coated her vision.

_"Make sure you watch closely, Nanoha Takamachi. I want you to remember this girl, as she is. Dirty and pitiful, poor little birdie with broken wings. Never going to fly out of here, oh no." _He brought the tip of the blade to rest centimeters away from one swollen burgundy eye. _"Scream for me,"_ he whispered, and the video cut off.

Nanoha's senses shut down. The angered screams of the other Division Six members became a dull roar. For the first time in months, she reached inside herself and felt the nostalgic crackle of power.

"…Wait for me, Fate-chan." A blast of pink energy, and suddenly she hovering in the air, one hand extended, spheres of raw magic power at her command.

"Nanoha, calm yourself!"

"Divine…"

"Durandal! Emergency sealing!"

_(Yes, boss.)  
_

Nanoha's world turned white.

* * *

**Present time**

"...oh god, Fate…I have to—_we_ have to…she's—" Tears welled up in Nanoha's eyes. After receiving a nod from Hayate, Shamal unbuckled the restraints binding Nanoha to the bed and helped the girl sit up.

"Nanoha, I need you to stay calm," the she said, firmly gripping the aerial mage's shoulders. "Can you do that?"

Nanoha nodded weakly, sniffling. Chrono's expression softened.

"Officially, we have half a fleet actively searching," he said, moving to stand at the foot of the bed. "In addition to that, there's been an unbelievable amount of support from other Enforcers, even those that never met Fate. The ones currently deployed on missions have offered to keep an eye and an ear open for any information about this Cornelius Alba, as well as his possible whereabouts. So far, we have nothing, but the search is just getting started."

"Carim and the Saint Church have also sent word out to their patrols. With both the Church's agents and the Enforcers helping, we've covered a good deal of TSAB space. Yuuno's been searching through the Infinity Library's records for any information on Alba, but all he's been able to find are news articles regarding academic achievements." Hayate let out a whoosh of air. "I've got to admit, Alba's covered his tracks well."

Nanoha struggled to take in the information. She glanced up when Chrono ruffled her hair.

"I'm giving this back to you," he said, extending his other hand. Nanoha immediately grabbed the spherical object from his palm, cradling it to her chest.

"…Thank you," she whispered.

"Your magic is still sealed," the admiral added, with a hint of sternness in his voice. Nanoha nodded silently, a sudden weariness taking over her body. Shamal shooed Hayate and Chrono out of the room. She paused to give Nanoha a reassuring smile.

"I'll be next door, so call if you need anything," she said, dimming the lights. "Get some rest; doctor's order."

Nanoha felt her lips twitch upwards. "Thanks, Shamal."

* * *

Hayate sank gratefully into her chair, resting her head in her hands. So many things had happened at once, and the fatigue from lack of sleep was starting to get to her. "Rein-chan, could you ask someone to get me some coffee?"

"Right away," the miniature unison device chirped, cheerful as always. Hayate smiled in spite of herself.

"Now then, time to catch up with work," she muttered, bringing up a holographic keyboard and several monitors. A Division Six staff member entered unnoticed and placed a steaming mug of coffee before her. By the time Hayate dismissed the monitors, the coffee had long since gone cold. Taking a sip, she grimaced. A beep sounded, alerting her to an incoming message. After briefly considering ignoring it, she reluctantly patched the link through.

"What is it, Shari?"

"Hayate! You won't believe this—one of the scanners just went haywire and—" She turned to shout at someone off-screen, wiping away the sweat from her forehead with the back of one hand. "I checked it out, and there's been a huge magical disturbance several thousand feet above the city, about six klicks to the south-west."

"What? When—"

"There's no time for explanation, I've got bigger news," Shari interrupted, waving her hands around in a frenzy. "I just got word that Bardiche Assault's signal has been detected, in concurrence with the location."

"Bardiche? That can't be—get me visual confirmation!" Hayate's hands suddenly started sweating.

"Hang on, I'm connecting you now—"

The coffee mug clattered to the floor, its cold brown contents slowly oozing out.

"Fate…"

* * *

**A/N**: ...*profanity* Ahh...I give up. I rewrote this chapter three times, and this is what I ended up with. Personally, I feel like I rambled too much and the chapter became a bit disjointed because of that, but...meh. Screw it. This was originally going to be more kick-the-puppy-Nanoha angst, but I felt like that made the story drag a bit, so I ditched it. Second try skipped too ahead. Third was a worse version of this. *headdesk* Any input would be much appreciated regarding the pacing and/or how this chapter turned out.

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and I'm sorry that this took so long to get out!

**BPHaru:** Great? Really? ._. I thought it was too emo and "OMG I haet my LIFE" Harry Potter-esque, haha. You almost cried? eh..I'm humbled by your words (^^) Nanoha'll have to be kicked around a bit more in the future, so grab a box of tissues (lol) Cloned Fate? *chokes* How did you--!? Ah..well, we'll see, won't we?

**Black-Rose-Of-Night**: The world always needs more NanoFate drama, doesn't it? :3

**Chiyo And Osaka Fan**: Nandeyanen! Thank you!

**Amer**: Ahaha. I thought that the "()" was something you put in on purpose. My first thought was "uhh, what? 'Amer ()'? Who puts a () in their name?". Thanks for the encouragement!

**liz**: I hope I won't disappoint you!

**hazumu-kun**: Ahem. This one ran away from me too XD. Hope it tides you over until next time.

Gotta ramble a bit. Linespacing was being a bitch. Does anybody know how to format the text so it's not single-spaced? I'm such a noob -_- Writing in English means that I have to lose Rein's はいです～！　T_T /murder

Before I forget, am I getting close to the T-M border? There's going to be more violence and language from now on, and I don't want to misstep my boundaries (^^;;)

Read and review, please!

**[Edit]** Many thanks to Team GEMINI for spotting an issue with the JP text. Um...GEMINIさん、すこし自分のことをおしえてもよろしいでしょうか。私の人生における夢は、いつか日本語を琉ちょうに話せるようになって、両国間を行き来して学生達が外国語を学ぶことがどれだけやりがいのあることかを知ってもらう手出すけをすることです。私のミスがGEMINIさんにいらいらしまって本当にすみませんでした。

・・って、うちは普通に警護なんて話せないんだから、また間違いがあったら許してくれないか？（゜ヮ゜）ｂ　ありがとうございます。


	4. Interlude 1: Pain

**Disclaimer:** All characters belong to their respective owner(s). I'm just borrowing them for a little while.

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**Colors of the Sky**

Interlude

_Fade_

"I can't carry on for long  
I start to feel the pain again  
Now the days all look the same  
I'm losing sight and hold of home"

--Fightstar

Every time she woke, there was pain. It would last until her world turned black, and then she would dream of shadows and horrors and blood. When she woke again, there was more pain. Over and over, in a never-ending spiral, such was her existence. She wanted it to end. She wanted to die.

"Get up."

Sometimes she was strong enough to push herself up. Sometimes she wasn't. At first, she had fought. Oh, how she had fought – like a wildcat, eyes steeled with defiance, she would take the beatings until there was no more blood to spill out. She lasted much longer than either one of them had expected, but even the tallest mountains can be worn away to dust, given time.

Yes, time. That was his only weapon. Her only weakness.

"I'm not finished with you yet."

When her physical strength would desert her, she clung desperately to the wavering light in her heart. _Nanoha. Nanoha. Nanoha._ She wouldn't give up. She wouldn't lose. She was the Enforcer, the soldier, the one always on the frontlines, the one always taking more damage. _Nanoha. Nanoha. _It became her mantra, and she would slip into the dark with her white angel's smiling face before her. It was the anchor to her sanity.

"I will break you, mage."

_PAINPAINPAINPAINPAINPAINPAINPAINPAINPAINPAIN_

"You are an animal. You will obey me."

_nanohananohananohaHELPHELPHELPHELPHELPME_

The darkness blanketed her when the world went away. Out of the cell, into the chamber, back into the cell. Most of the time, it was the whip. Later, he would get bored. Then it was the hammer, the acid, the needles, the knives. He would leave her within an inch of death, tantalizing her with the sweet promise of peace, only to drag her back to life. Sometimes he wouldn't even come, and she could sleep in the cell. He made her eat and drink substances she had no name for. If she didn't eat, there would be no food for days afterward. She would cry and cry, but he would not relinquish. So she ate, if only to live give herself the strength for one more day of living hell.

Yes, her life was a circle of pain, darkness, and hunger. She lost track of time. On occasion,

it

felt

like

time

was

slowing

to the point where she thought it wasn't moving at all. But then it was time for a trip to the chamber, and all she knew was painuntil she passed out.

"Hello, girl."

_HIM. HIMHIMHIM. Pleasenopleasepleasenopainnopainscaredhelpmesavemenanohananohananoha_

"Do you know what today is?"

_RunrunRUNRUNRUNRUNCAN'TCAN'TNOESCAPEHELPHELPHELPHELPHELP_

"It's our anniversary."

_NONONONONONODON'TCOMECLOSERDON'TDON'TDON'TDON'T_

"It's already been one year, hasn't it? Time flies."

_I don't want to I DON'T WANT TO NO MORE PAIN PLEASE NANOHA SAVE ME WHERE ARE YOU_

"So to celebrate, I've got a special surprise for you."

The bare bulb flickered from the ceiling, causing his shadow to dance erratically as he twirled in slow circles. Fate's eyes shone with a feverish, panicked light. Desperately, she tried to crawl away, huddling in a corner. Cornelius grinned.

"A good friend of mine sent me a package the other day, you see. I was so very delighted when I opened it up." Leather squeaked against leather as he rubbed his gloved hands together. "It was mailed just for you, my dear. I've been waiting for it to come so that I could give it to you. Oh, how I've waited. I'm sure you'll enjoy it."

He stroked her hair. A whimper escaped her lips, and his teeth shone in the cold white light.

"It's time for the party to start. Let's not dilly-dally now! No time to waste, oh no. Not when I've got such a wonderful present for you!"

Fate could feel her arms being grasped by rough hands. Her head lolled as she was dragged out of the cell, her feet bumping over the uneven stones. She struggled vainly, managing to scrounge up a spark of mana that sent Cornelius stumbling back a few paces. He snarled, grabbing her head and pounding it against the floor. Her senses dimmed one by one.

_"Alba, enough."_

_"You--!!" _The sound of a body hitting the ground.

Large, cool hands delicately brush over her wounds. She flinches. _"Child, you need not fear me." _A tide of soothing magic sweeps over her, swiftly driving away the pain. _"The next time we meet, you will be whole. Complete. Until then, I ask that you sleep once more. Do not be afraid of sleep, for your light will always guide you back."_

"....!" _Nanoha._

She felt the prick of a needle, and she once again slipped into the darkness.

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**A/N:** The world is a busy, busy place.

Thanks to all of you reading this, and a big-special thanks to those who took the time out of your days to review.

**KillerQueen118: **n___n

**Team GEMINI (xYuki)**: Once again, apologies for the (horrifyingly) embarassing mistake last chapter. ^^; なのxフェイトの"Das" がんばろうね～

**hazumu-kun**: Things will be cleared up...eventually _. I meant that my goal wasn't to write that much, sorry for the confusion. Ever get one of those times when you just /can't/ stop writing? The opposite happened for this chapter, though...

**Tomodachi!**: Thanks! (I do so love cliffhangers :D)

**Black-Rose-Of-Night**: Late, late, maybe I should change my name to The White Rabbit? Lots of really good NanoFate fics have come out lately *w*

**liz**: I'm really glad that you like it~

**.Britannia: **Alba is...fun to write? Don't worry, you'll get your share of blood and ripped limbs and whatnot soon enough. Though Alba isn't on the list...

**BPHaru**: Haha, the plot veered waaay off the original direction I'd planned. And the DBZ tube...agh..now I can't get Super Seiya(n?) Fate out of my head. Such a funny image....just picture her hair sticking up like that XD. Hope I can keep throwing you off!

**Mr. Urahara**: Yes, Alba. :3 I don't know where you think this is going, but...yeah, KnK's Shiki is 3333 compared to Tsukihime's ////3 Shiki. I just couldn't help using Alba. He got so psycho-fied in the movies. And his hair, ugh..I felt a bit bad for him, heh. He was at least a little badass in the novel, but there ain't nobody who can stand up to SexyAngry!Touko.

**Chiyo And Osaka Fan**: ...but I can't help wondering about those dead fics that haven't updated since 2006 or something _. Hope this doesn't turn into one of those.

**Amer**: Poetic? ME? Uhh..."Writer's Block is in my way / This is all I can say"

**shadowWizz**: I can't write action for sh!t, but I'll do my best! And yes, Fate is WIN.


	5. Chapter 3: Rebirth

**A/N.** Sorry for the delay. The timeline's going to be a bit disjointed from here on out. Also, I seriously feel like the quality of my writing is declining rapidly. *sigh*

Hope this isn't as bad as I feel it is ._.

Almost forgot. Disclaimer: All characters belong to their respective owners.

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The smoke cleared, quickly chased away by the unusually strong wind. A solitary figure floated high above the city, loosely gripping a black Intelligent Device. Before her was a gaping crater, ringed by the hollow shells of unfinished buildings. Far below her, a green magic circle flickered twice before deactivating at the command of a sandy-haired mage. The girl's eyes gazed down at the mage, not blinking. Barely moving, her lips formed a name.

"Yuuno Scrya." _Head Librarian of the Infinity Library. Age, 21. Threat level, minimum._ Twin blonde ponytails trailed behind her as she slowly descended. Emergency sirens howled in the distance. Her feet touched the cement.

"Yuuno Scrya. You have something I want." Cold and emotionless, her voice rang out, rebounding off the crater's walls.

"Fate?" Yuuno's mind and eyes were in disarray. His logic told him that Fate would never attack him, or any law-abiding citizen of Mid Childa for that matter, but his eyes confirmed the facts. Fate had attacked him without holding back. His survival instincts were screaming at him to erect a protective barrier for both his personal use as well as the surrounding area. Yet, to potentially use force against one's of his close friends—one who until recently had been thought dead—it was something he couldn't do. Emotions clashing within his mind, Yuuno's jaw stiffened as the black scythe was raised, directed at his chest.

"If you won't give it to me willingly..." Elegantly arched eyebrows curved to form two angry crescents. "...I'll just take it from you." Several spears of energy crackled to life.

"Fate, is it really you?" He shifted his body weight into a defensive stance, hands half-tracing the beginning marks for a Round Shield. "I don't understand. What do I have that you want? Please calm down. We can talk this over without getting violent." He blinked, and was nearly sliced in two by his old friend's energy scythe. Cold nervous sweat formed on his forehead as his shields absorbed and negated the numerous yellow lances. "Fate, I--"

"I'm on a tight schedule, Yuuno. Don't waste my time." Fate tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. "Bardiche, Photon Lancer."

_(Yes, sir.)_ Yuuno hastily cast several barriers to form a three-layered shield around himself, simultaneously opening a direct communications link with Long Arch. _Hayate, I need help, it isn't an illusio--_

_(Sonic Move.)_

Bardiche rammed into the mage's head with an audible sound of hitting bone. Yuuno fell to the ground. Bending down, Fate reached into his shirt pocket, withdrawing a small plastic card. She smiled humorlessly. "Infinity Library, unlimited access." A ping sounded within her head, and she looked up to see several specks approaching on the horizon. "Let's go, Bardiche. We're late."

_(Yes, sir.)_ A golden magic aura burst into life, and a second later, the girl was gone.

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Elsewhere, Nanoha Takamachi fought the Long Arch staff members restraining her, tears streaming down her face.

"Hayate, I can _feel_ her! It's Fate-chan, it's really her! Let--me--go--!"

"Take her to her room, now." The brown-haired commander's eyes flashed when the two staff members hesitated. "I said _now_. That's an order!" Hastily, the shouting Nanoha was hauled out of the control room, the automatic doors sliding shut behind her. Hayate let out a sigh that turned into a soft whimper.

"Rein, what am I supposed to do?" she whispered. The Unison Device shook her head in response, biting her lip. Hayate's hands clenched into fists. "Someone send an urgent message to Admiral Harlaown. I want the blast zone cordoned off and under full TSAB guard within the next ten minutes. No one gets in without my permission."

"Ten minutes? Commander, it'll take the ground forces at least fifteen to mobilize and head in that direction--"

"No excuses! Get there before anyone else does! And keep tracking her signal!" Even Reinforce winced at Hayate's harsh outburst.

"Hayate-chan..."

Her fists slammed down on the metal desk, nails digging into her skin. She didn't notice when they started bleeding. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just—I just..."

The doors swished open. "Hayate, why don't you go to your office to collect your thoughts. I'll come and get you once everything settles down," Shamal said, placing a hand on the young commander's shoulder.

"Shamal?" The hand squeezed reassuringly. "I...understand. Thank you. I'll go...do that." Hayate stood stiffly and walked out of the room in a daze. The remaining Long Arch staff shared a collective moment of silence, each dealing with their own emotions – shock, confusion, fear. Shamal left after exchanging glances with Shari. Griffith cleared his throat, assuming control.

"You've got your orders, people. See them out."

**Colors of the Sky**

Chapter Three

_Gather/Clouds_

虎父无犬子

_A tiger father has no canine sons_

--Chinese proverb

_They had drugged her. Her mind was still fuzzy, but she was aware of being carried somewhere, and then laid down on a cool, elevated surface. One voice she recognized, the mere sound evoking a shiver and her primal instinct to flee. The other was new. Or was it? A man's deep tones. Somehow, it felt comforting, but in some far corner of her mind, she felt danger. Suddenly she was aware of blinding light, beating down upon her naked body. The deep voiced man said something she couldn't understand. Panic welled up inside of her when she felt metal shackles encircle her, rendering her nearly motionless. _

_Blinking rapidly, her vision cleared (if only somewhat) and she frantically tried to escape. High-pitched laughter ground against her eardrums. She finally realized that the reason why she couldn't move her head was because of a shackle around her neck. Fear-induced sweat began to seep out of her pores. She knew where she was. Or at least, she recognized the type of setup. Limbs splayed out and cuffed, cold metal contrasting with the burning lights, she was, in essence, crucified on an operating table. She would have laughed if she had the strength. Operating table. More like torture table. Perhaps even "butcher's workbench"._

_"Cease your struggles, child." The deep voiced man. His face was obscured – the lamps still hurt her eyes if she tried to look directly at them – but she could make out an abnormal shape to his head. It took her several moments before she realized that he wore some kind of cloth wrapping around most of his face. The drug's buzz was fading quickly, and she shivered again, this time from the room's cold temperature._

_"I apologize about the temperature. I need as much power as I can get to ensure success." His shadow moved away, causing her to shut her eyes against the light. There was the hum of several machines powering up. A wave of sickly-sweet perfume overloaded her nose, forcing her to gasp and cough until Cornelius laughed and moved further away. Squinting her eyes, she raged inwardly at his retreating figure. Something beeped twice, and a monotonous voice announced the presence of a visitor. _

_"Cornelius, make yourself useful and go attend to our guest." Upon hearing the command, she expected the sadistic red-garbed mage to protest, but much to her surprise, he obeyed, albeit with a grudging edge to his voice. _

_"...Fine." She heard him walk away. Clack, clack, clack, stop. The sound of a door opening. Clack, clack. The sound of it closing. Silence save for the machines' humming. _

_"We're ready to start." The lights dimmed to a low glow. She could make out his shadow now. He was tall, with wide shoulders, but his overall figure was rather slim. She couldn't make out much detail, for he was clothed in large swaths of dark fabric, nearly __every inch cloaked save for his hands and most of his head. He raised one arm, fingers sketching marks in the air that she could not recognize. In his other hand, he held a large glass vial, filled with a thick, dark substance. Violet-tinged light flared up from underneath her, accompanied by a blast of warm air. She felt a crackle of magic energy surge through her, and was momentarily dazed by its passing. Something flared deep within her body, and she barely recognized it as her own Linker Core acting up in response. She couldn't remember the last time she could feel even a tiny trickle of power from her Core, and yet...a strange feeling arose. _

_Fear. Nostalgia. Bitter emotions. She had felt something similar, somewhere, a long time ago. When was it, she wondered. When was it that I...?_

_The man began a harsh, unrhythmic chant with no apparent structure. He barked several deep, throaty syllables, and then would extend a higher pitched warble for several seconds before adopting an almost-melody. It made her head hurt, somehow, as she tried to make sense of the guttural sounds. It was certainly no language she had ever heard before, and had no sounds in common with the any ancient texts she was familiar with. She assumed it had to be some sort of magic spell, seeing as how the now-visible magic circle pulsed with each word the man chanted. _

_The very air around her was soaked in magical residue. Unconsciously, her Linker Core sent out whisper-thin tendrils, slowly soaking up what it could in its weakened state. Another surge of power gushed forth from the circle, and her mind felt oddly disconnected from her body. For a moment, she almost felt like she was looking down at herself, shackled to the dull steel table, backlit by the man's magic-induced light. _

_"Irle! Falem! Eom!" Power pulsated, and she felt her entire body flush with the influx of magic energy. Her lips parted, her throat suddenly raspy and dry. _

_"Adyys! Etroa! Syrin!" She barely picked up the sound of the vial breaking. Its contents, hot against her flushed skin, burned. With a mind of its own, the liquid spread out until it touched every part of her, thin and thick spidery lines twisting and tangled around each other, originating from a ring on her stomach. A cry of pain escaped her as the lines cut slightly into her flesh, her blood mingling with it and heating up to an unbearable temperature. There was a final overflow of raw magic, and one last word resounded in the chamber._

_"Asura!" Her mind exploded. White enveloped her senses, flooding her entire body. It hurt more than anything she had ever experienced before. It hurt more than anything she could ever have imagined. She felt her skin ripped cruelly off her body, leaving her insides exposed. Her organs screamed in protest as a million needles pierced them. Her eyes widened and rolled back into her head. Blood trickled from her tearducts, ears, mouth and nose. Her face was stretched to its limits, muscles straining in an agonized silent scream. Wave after wave of excruciating pain attacked every aspect of her entire being. Her body was wracked with countless, uncontrollable spasms. A _force_ plunged into her midriff, causing her to arch her back, limbs straining against their metal restraints. She thrashed violently. Something surged through her veins, burning, _scorching_, running through again and again and her heart was beating faster than a hummingbird's wings, BA-__BUMP-BA-BUMP speeding up so fast so fast so fast she couldn't even tell if the valves were properly opening and closing and it all fell together into one raging beat BABABABABABABABABABABABABABABABABABABABA—until her mind was a swirling maelstrom of incoherency—SOMETHING was in her bloodstream, hurtingburningfireflamespainburningburningBURNINGBURNINGBURNINGBURNING—_

_...and then, it all stopped. She fell limply to the table, her body completely void of energy. She twitched. Once, twice. _

_The man watched the entire procession stoically, his one uncovered eye hard and intense. He waited for any reaction. Any at all. Time passed, though he was unaware of how much. Time didn't much affect him, not since—_

_A single shockwave, barely strong enough to rustle his robes. His hands shook in anticipation. It had been so, so long. He had spent eons searching for a suitable host. And he had finally found one. More perfect that he had let himself hope._

_Suddenly, he found himself thrown backward, slammed into a hastily formed barrier. The machinery he had labored over flew around the room, crashing into the walls, sparks flying and metal crunching against metal. He grunted, waiting the storm out. His body was tossed around like a ragdoll, receiving minor bruises despite his multiple protection charms and shields. When at last his feet found firm purchase, he the entire room in ruins. The steel table that the girl had been fixed to was now almost comically bent out of shape. Like when one places both hands on either side of an aluminum can and compresses it, the table bore little resemblance to its original form. Debris was everywhere, including portions of the ceiling and walls. And amidst it all, slumped over in a half-sitting, half-crouching position, was a pale-skinned blonde. _

_He moved closer, one cautious step at a time. Deep amethyst-colored lines, thin as spidersilk, ran over her arms, torso and legs. He stopped a respectable distance away._

_"Such magnificent power," he breathed, his thin lips stretching into a manic grin. "I have waited so long—"_

_Slender fingers had cut off his air supply before his brain had even registered movement. Despite his height advantage, the girl was holding him suspended in the air with only one hand. He gurgled something unintelligible. _

_"_I_," she said, burgundy eyes dark and murderous, "am not your servant, not am I something you created. Do _not_ think of me as a tool." Her grip tightened. His grin grew wider. _

_"Of...co-urse..." She smiled and released him._

_"Good." Her hand had left angry purple bruises on his neck. She leaned down so that they were at eye level. He almost flinched—so close—but managed to control his body as she peered closer at the marks. _

_"I got a little carried away," she said absently. "Are you afraid of me?"_

_He coughed out a laugh. "If I weren't, we wouldn't be having this conversation."_

_Her eyes glinted with mirth. "And yet you don't run away?"_

_"What would you do if I did?" She extended a hand, he accepted, and together they rose to their feet. He removed one of his many layers and offered it to her._

_Fate wrapped the black cloth around her body, tying it at the neck and waist. She paused, one hand held up to her mouth in amusement. A small giggle escaped her lips._

_"I'd kill you."_

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**More A/N.** I'm really starting to get annoyed with ff's chapter labeling system. This is gonna show up as chapter five, but in the story it's chapter THREE. Ugh...T_T why can't I label them myself? While I'm on a rant, I'll add that I /loathe/ not being able to change the line spacing, and no paragraph indents is /3. I hope all you people reading this don't have as much of a problem as I do with single-spaced stuff....sorry for spamming italics but I've got to distinguish between past/present. *coughhintcough*

**A big warm thank you to all of you who reviewed last chapter, and a lukewarm thank you for just reading. **

Just kidding. Watching the hits counter spike whenever I release a chapter is enough to make me amused and motivated.

**Anon. Me: **Torturing Fate is just...easier? Um, more like, it's not as fun with Nanoha _ No, I'm not a sadist. Maybe because we all look forward to Nanoha Starlight Breaker-ing the guys who did it to Fate? Everybody likes their bright pink beamspam...

**Team GEMINI:** I'm so freaking late on my chapter of Das, LOL. I wonder if it's ok to turn it in with ~2 pages blank of translation? xD Hope your laptop troubles work out...Notepad has to be one of the most painful text editors I've ever experienced.

**BPHaru:** It's a bit far off in the future, but the "saving" you're hoping for is probably going to be a little...different from what I think you're expecting. As for if Fate'll recover...that's a secret 3

**.Britannia:** This is random, but whenever I type your penname I think of Strike Witches, haha. I hope you didn't think that I left this fic to rot in the gutters ^_^

**Anon. Seto-chan:** I'm happy you like it :) I'm certainly not going to stop writing this, so as long as you keep reading everything's set.

**moonpower02:** Gah. Now I'm gonna be paranoid...I had to write down the plotline on paper so that I didn't forget what was happening when x.x I'll do my best to live up to your expectations~(^_^)b

**Anon. Kimon:** Bittersweet-romance-angst is my guilty pleasure. I just can't resist...

**Anon. Amer: **Thank-you~

**zenshiki09**: I can't /promise/ that, but....well, I feel like the end will be satisfactory for most. I don't want to mislead, so...sorry, haha, no more details than that. Keep reading to find out!

**Chiyo And Osaka Fan: **--Random alert-- I've got Chiyo's cooking song stuck in my head. Azumanga's too catchy! I'm going to go crazy....

**SpicyTofu:** Thank YOU for reading! I always feel like the way I write is really cheesy, heh. It gives me courage when I get support like yours :D

Just to warn y'all in advance, next chapter's going to be slow in updating as well. I've got a million things to do get ready for a year-long exchange in Japan. I think there'll be at least a chapter or two before mid-June, but then things will get rocky. Internet access is NOT guarenteed for me, unfortunately. If all goes well, I'll be able to leech off somebody but I don't want to get deported or arrested or something, so I'll be erring on the side of caution.


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